Grass is Never as Green as One Expects it to Be
by Angelic Land
Summary: A strange sound abruptly wakes Eren in the middle of the night.
1. Chapter 1

**Grass is Never as Green as One Expects it to Be**

Eren Jaeger woke up in the middle of the night to a strange sound. His first thought was that the castle was under attack by titans. That was not the case. The boy ran towards the window in his room and saw something fall from the sky in the distance. He could see the object, because it was illuminated as it fell.

Eren threw his boots on, and ran next door to the captain's room.

He burst into the room without knocking. "Levi! Something just fell from the sky beyond the forest."

Since he was a light sleeper, Levi woke up instantly. He also knew Eren wasn't making up a story. Training for the Survey Corps withdrew all remaining traces of foolish play from everyone who graduated. "Grab your gear. Let's go check it out."

Levi slept with his gear beside his bed. He had it on in less than a minute. "Aren't we going to wake anyone else up?" Eren asked, frantically.

"We don't have time to. Plus, I'll have you with me. You're the strongest member of our team," Levi said, encouragingly.

The two rushed to the stables and jumped on a couple of horses. They rode side by side, so Eren could tell Levi what he'd just saw.

"I heard a cracking noise, and then a bright orange object hit the ground. I could feel the vibration from the impact when it crashed, so it must be very heavy," said the boy.

As they approached the area, the orange light grew brighter. "I smell smoke, Eren."

The horses picked up their pace as the slope of the land began curving upward. Eren and Levi continued to ride. They were entering another forested area, so they rode single file.

"Take the lead," Levi said, looking over at Eren.

The boy nodded, and got in front of his captain. The smell of smoke was pungent in the air. Eren didn't want to breathe too much of it in, so he tied a handkerchief around his face.

When they were out of the forest, a faint orange glow was visible from over the peak of the hill.

"Whatever it is, it's just over this ridge," said Eren, as Levi rode up beside him.

Though the both of them were expecting to encounter titans, they weren't about to find a single one. Eren and Levi slowed down and continued on foot to the top of the hill. They could see the smoke billowing up into the sky and hear the sharp crackle of burning trees.

Since Eren and Levi were virtually fearless, neither of them hesitated to fulfill their curiosity. At the top of the hill, the two men looked down at what lay on the other side.

A huge, steel, mechanism, spanning hundreds of feet in diameter, sat ablaze in a large crater. It appeared to be running on an alternate source of fuel. The smoke smelled unusual. There appeared to be no one around. The only sounds and sights were of the fire.

"What is that, Levi?" Eren asked.

"I've never seen anything like it, before," he replied.

They sat down behind a rock for a minute to analyze the foreign object further. Levi looked over to the boy after a few seconds to compare reactions, but Eren had collapsed onto his back.

"Eren! Get up!" Levi shouted, in shock.

Eren didn't reply. His eyes didn't open, and he was hardly breathing. Levi suddenly started to feel faint as well. He laid down next to Eren, trying not to let the foul, smoke-filled air take him.

Levi tried with all his might to get the boy to wake up until he could no longer muster the strength to move either. Just before his eyes closed, he saw someone looming towards him from out of the strange, burning heap of steel and technology.

"So… these are 'titans'?" A warrior said to herself, as she approached the fallen bodies of Eren and Levi.

They were unconscious, but weren't dead. The warrior picked up the two men and carried them away from the smoke.

Somewhere, far beyond Earth, a race of life forms similar to humans had created a vehicle advanced enough in technology to reach this planet. Unfortunately, only one survived the crash.

Though she was alone, the alien decided to continue her mission. She locked Eren and Levi in a cage-like enclosure until the fire went out. The ship's engines were compromised, but some of the structure was still habitable and suitable for studying titans.

After several more hours, the female warrior was able to activate all of the sprinklers on the ship. Most of the job had to be done manually, but eventually the flames went out. She retrieved Levi and Eren from their temporary holding place on the other side of the hill. Their loyal horses were sitting beside the metal cage.

The woman pulled out a small pistol and shot both of the animals. "Damn beasts aren't stealing my game, now." Her language was audibly foreign. She watched the two horses fall to the ground screaming in agony. The noise only lasted for a few seconds more.

Eren and Levi had begun to recover from the poisoned air, but they weren't conscious yet. The woman slung both of the small men over her shoulders and walked back to her ship.

When they arrived, the alien woman placed her two captives in a cell. As a precaution against unknown tech, she removed their 3D maneuvering gear. She planned on studying the two men while they were still unconscious, but she had wounds of her own to tend to from the crash.

She wore a heavy suit of armor, because her body wasn't used to the level of gravity on Earth. Its force was was slightly stronger than what she was used to. She couldn't take her suit off for a long period of time. Although the atmosphere of Earth and her home planet were similar, her body wasn't built to withstand the environment.

Meanwhile, Eren woke up. He saw Levi lying next to him. The boy shook his captain gently, but the man was still too weak from the polluted smoke to sit up.

"Levi, are you alright?"

"Yeah. I think so. You?"

"I'm fine," Eren replied. He took off his handkerchief and wiped the sweat from Levi's forehead. "The smoke from that fire must've done a number on you."

"Yes, it has. I'll be alright. More importantly, are we inside the object that crashed?" The man suggested.

"I believe so. Someone must've put the fire out. We've been taken hostage," Eren said, as he stood up, gripping the bars in a doorway that led to a long, dark hallway.

"I think it's safe to say that this…piece of machinery, did not come from our planet," Levi said, beginning to sit up finally.

Eren's face grew angry and desperate. "Whoever trapped us in here is going to pay!"

"Eren, we have no idea who...or what did this to us. We don't know anything, except that we're probably dealing with something from another planet. I never thought I'd say that, but I've learned that life is full of shock and unexpected problems." Levi was standing now, holding Eren by the shoulders. "We just have to stay calm for now, and try to figure out why we're here. We'll act once we can determine that."

The boy tried to listen to what Levi said, but he had a very hard time letting things sink in. "Okay, Levi. I'll try not to get angry, but I just can't help it sometimes."

"It's alright, Eren. Try to keep a clear head."

Upon hearing their voices, their captor started down the hall with heavy footsteps. Eren felt a spark of fear ignite inside him. It was a long-forgotten feeling he hadn't had since before he'd even seen a titan.

The boy stood firmly, acting as though he wasn't scared. However, Levi could tell Eren was frightened, from looking at the way the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He was truly in rare form, whether he was willing to show it or not.

When the armored woman finally appeared in front of the cell, she lifted up the tinted glass panel on the front of her helmet. She had bright red hair and teal eyes. She looked human, but was easily twice the size of the average person.

The alien spoke to them in an unfamiliar language. Levi and Eren looked at each other blankly. They weren't able to determine a single clue about the woman's motives, until they heard her utter the word "titan". She pointed at both of them, and continued to repeat herself until she began to laugh wickedly.

The tall, foreign woman unlocked the cell door, and grabbed Eren by the arm, lifting him up. She swatted Levi away with her other arm when he tried to prevent her from taking Eren away.

Eren tried biting into his hand, but he couldn't transform into a titan. He cried out for Levi, but the alien silenced him immediately. The boy felt his body go limp in seconds while she twisted his neck, snapping it in three different directions.

When she got to the half-singed laboratory, the alien ripped the boy's head off, and placed it in a bucket. Her physical strength was incredible. She snapped bones and disconnected joints with almost no resistance. Then, she stripped the clothes off of Eren's body and began to tear off each of his limbs.

She started with his arms. After each amputation, the woman collected the boy's blood. After wringing out the severed pieces of Eren with her iron grip, she let gravity drain the deep crimson liquid into a clear, glass canister.

Back in his cell, Levi was unaware of what was happening. He remembered Eren cry out his name once, but that was the last sound he was capable of hearing from the isolated corridor in which he sat.

Soon, the armored woman appeared again, without Eren. Levi glared at her. He knew she wouldn't understand him if he spoke, but he wanted to know what she'd done with the boy.

From a compartment in her suit, the alien pulled out a large flask filled with dark liquid. She handed it to Levi. At first, Levi had no idea what the substance was, but soon realized. It was still slightly warm. She left it with him in his trembling hands, and walked back to her laboratory.

Levi didn't know what to do. Judging by the size of the flask, it was unlikely that Eren was still alive. He didn't know for sure that it was Eren's blood, but by using process of elimination, he was pretty sure it was.

"Eren, I don't know what's happening." Levi whispered, holding the large flask.

He slowly drew the opening closer to his mouth, until the brim of the glass was touching his lips. Taking a deep breath, he began to drink the rich, iron-flavored substance.

Levi wiped the blood from his lips and reminisced the metallic taste in his mouth with his tongue. He didn't want to accept that Eren was gone, but he had to. The one person he was sure would never be taken from him was dead; the only person he knew he could count on no matter what.

"I'm sorry, Eren. I wanted you to learn not to let fear control you, but I got too obsessed with what I was trying to teach. It's impossible for someone not to fear a single thing in his entire life. My one and only true fear was losing you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Contact**

Ezreal, a young explorer and cartographer from the city of Piltover, received a letter from the captain of the Northwestern Special Operations Squad. The letter was addressed to Piltover's cartography department. Ezreal happened to be the only employee of the branch that was both willing and ready for a long business trip.

At that time, the amateur mapmaker did not have a steady work schedule. Ezreal's superior handed him the letter after offering it to the more esteemed explorers.

_To whom it may concern within Piltover's exploration team,_

_I am the leader of the Northwestern Special Operations Squad. The Surveillance Corps has recently come into contact with a foreign life form._

_Two weeks ago, my comrade, Eren Jaeger, saw what looked like a beam of light in the middle of the night. It struck Earth a dozen miles from our base. He and I went to investigate what it was, upon suspicion that it could have had something to do with the titan race._

_However, a mysterious being, in the shape of a ten-foot tall woman, appeared from the wreckage of a crashed ship minutes after we arrived at the site. Falling unconscious from the polluted smoke emanating from the wreck, Jaeger and I were captured._

_After regaining our consciousness in a dark cell aboard what was left of the ship, the alien appeared. The being took Jaeger and both sets of gear, leaving me virtually helpless. _

_Although the foreign life form killed my comrade, I could not determine her motive for doing so. I managed to escape the cell when a part of the ship collapsed. Unfortunately, that is all I can conclude from the experience. It took almost two days for me to return to base on foot._

_When I returned, I informed my soldiers about what had happened, and that's when I was encouraged to share this information with Piltover._

_The reason for the Special Operations Squad's expression of concern upon your cartography department regarding this issue is because we have been ordered by the king to locate this alien. We don't know what he'll have us do with the foreign being, but nonetheless, that is our task._

_As the squad's captain, I would personally like to request your aid. Alone, my soldiers are not capable of successfully completing such a precise mission. They simply aren't trained to do so, yet the king has still assigned the task to the Special Operations Squad._

_This is important information that you should know, because we could potentially be facing a threat to mankind greater than that poised by the titans. Please send me your answer to my plea as soon as you can._

_Sincerely,_

_Levi Ackerman._

_Captain of the Special Operations Squad_

_Northwest Surveillance Corps_

Piltover was located several hundred miles east of the northwestern walled districts. Because of the abundance of dangerous titans, contact between the two nations had grown seldom, at best.

Ezreal couldn't believe what he'd just read. It immediately excited him. He began penning a letter back to Levi as soon as he could compose himself from the excitement. He knew it was a dangerous task, but he'd been waiting for an opportunity to go on an adventure.

The cartographer was a slender, twenty-year-old graduate of Piltover University. He'd recently taken a job in the department of his field of study, as a proxy explorer. Before reading Levi's letter, the young man had never been offered such an outstanding position.

_Captain Ackerman,_

_Your request has been received and acknowledged by our department. I've been given the responsibility of assisting you in locating the foreign being you speak of._

_My name is Ezreal Hauksteinn. I am a graduate from Piltover University. As a member of the cartography branch, I would be honored to act as a guide for your squad._

_I've been instructed by my superior to pack my belongings for the journey across titan territory. Hopefully, I'll arrive shortly after this letter reaches you._

_Looking forward to meeting you soon,_

_Ezreal Hauksteinn_

_Cartographical Explorer_

_Department of Northeast Exploration_

When Levi received Ezreal's enthusiastic letter, he almost smiled. It had been nearly a month since he'd sent the letter of request to Piltover. He and his squad had grown restless, as the days passed.

Levi wondered about Ezreal's enthusiastic attitude. He wanted to see how the man would act in person. In truth, his entire team was in need of someone more cheerful.

Three days later, an armored caravan arrived at the Special Operations Squad's base. Levi stood by the train of wagons as it pulled into the courtyard of the castle. He scanned each person as the travelers exited the wagons.

He spotted a thin, blonde man wearing a pair of goggles on top of his head. Levi approached him, since he appeared to be lost. "Pardon me, sir, but are you looking for someone?"

The young man turned, noticing the short brunette. "Hello. I've never been here before, and I'm looking for Captain Levi Ackerman."

Levi's eyes widened, but his expression was still blank. "You happen to be speaking with him right now. Are you Ezreal Hauksteinn?"

"Yes, I'm Ezreal. I'm honored to meet you, Captain!" The young man exclaimed, gesturing to shake Levi's hand.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Thank you for coming all the way here," the squad captain said, as he and Ezreal shook hands.

"It's truly an honor to be working with your team, sir," Ezreal said.

"Follow me, and you can call me Levi," the captain said, motioning for the blonde to follow him inside the castle.

Levi brought Ezreal to a room upstairs so he could talk with him privately.

"Here is your bedroom." The brunette said, leading the cartographer into a small, dusty room.

Levi closed the door behind him, and stepped assertively towards the blonde man. He pushed Ezreal onto his bed, staring threateningly into his vibrant blue eyes.

"L-Levi. What are you doing?" Ezreal asked, growing slightly uncomfortable.

"Are you prepared to face real danger? I need to know how committed you are. By joining my squad, your life is going to be at constant risk," Levi barked, holding Ezreal by the collar.

The blonde man gulped, realizing how serious the captain was. "Yes, I'm ready for this. You have my word, Captain."

"Very well. Only my soldiers call me captain. You are now my assistant. Therefore, address me by my first name," said Levi, coldly.

"Yes, Levi," Ezreal replied, as the shorter man finally released him.

"Sleep well. We wake up at sunrise." Levi turned to leave the room.

Ezreal took a breath of relief after the captain left. Levi was very strict about what he wanted. It made the blonde giggle. He'd expected Levi to be much larger, but he was all of five feet and four inches.

In the morning, Ezreal overslept by a mere thirty seconds. He began to stir upon hearing his door squeak open, and footsteps approach is bed.

Levi jumped on top of the half-asleep younger man, and slapped him across the face. "Wake up, assistant," the captain said, loudly.

Ezreal groaned, still disoriented by his surroundings. "Levi!" He shouted, as his eyes snapped open wide.

"I told you to be awake by sunrise. Now, you're going to receive your very first punishment."


	3. Chapter 3

**Choice**

The blonde man stared up at Levi's cold, stoic face. "Levi-"

Ezreal's words were cut off as the captain slapped him across the face again. "Do not speak. You woke up late. That is a fact."

The cartographer felt fear climb up his spine. Levi continued to glare at his new assistant as he held him down, firmly.

"Ezreal, you are my assistant. Are you sure that you're ready for the position? You are permitted to answer my question."

The blonde was beginning to sweat nervously. He'd never been exposed to such strictness. However, he knew he wanted to go on a real adventure. The curiosity to see the crude, natural world beyond human civilization fueled his determination. "Yes."

Levi leant closer to Ezreal, and whispered into his ear. "Prove it."

The young explorer thought about the physical context of captain's words for a moment, and then came up with his next move. It was a gamble, but he thought it would at least prove his bravery.

With Levi still holding him down without any signs of releasing his grip, Ezreal lifted his head up a few inches and kissed the captain. Levi responded immediately, smirking into their abrupt kiss.

When they broke away from one another after a few seconds, Levi spoke. "You're a smart guy, Ezreal."

The cartographer wasn't sure he enjoyed the feeling of kissing another man, but he was willing to do it again. From the other man's reaction, Ezreal knew he wanted it. At the very least, the blonde was going to use himself to his advantage in the future.

Levi got off of his assistant, and tucked his shirt back in where it had loosened. "Meet me downstairs by the door in five minutes. If you aren't there, you'll receive appropriate discipline."

Ezreal got dressed and brushed his teeth as quickly as he could. He rammed his feet into a pair of black upper-calf length boots. Within the time frame Levi ordered his assistant to meet him, the blonde was punctual.

"Now that you're here, I'm going to have to make sure you know how to use a set of 3D maneuvering gear," Levi said to Ezreal.

"3D what?" The cartographer asked, confusedly.

"Two of my best men will show you how to use the gear. You have one week to learn. If you can't figure it out by the end of the week, then I'm afraid we'll have to go out into titan territory without you being able to protect yourself. That would be quite dangerous, so please do your best to learn," the captain said, pacing back and forth until two soldiers appeared from a doorway behind a long counter.

"Good morning, captain. You called Arlert and I to instruct a new squad member, is that correct?" A dark-haired female soldier said.

"Ackerman, Arlert, this is my new assistant, Ezreal Hauksteinn. He's the squad's official cartographer. Train him to use the gear."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Ackerman said, extending her hand to Ezreal.

Next, Arlert stepped forward to introduce himself. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Ezreal followed the two soldiers into a supply room to be fitted with a uniform and a set of maneuvering gear.

Breaking the silence, Ezreal asked, "The captain referred to you as 'two of his best men', so I was wondering…you are a girl, right?"

Ackerman turned around. She and Levi shared a similar cold facial expression. "Yes, obviously. The captain refers to all of his soldiers as men. He doesn't say that to imply that all of us are male, it's just a figure of speech."

The mapmaker couldn't believe how blankly Ackerman spoke. He thought he was going to make the girl at least smile from the innocent joke.

"Armin, I'm going to let you measure the captain's assistant. I'd prefer not to. Instead, I'll begin putting together a set of gear," Ackerman said, addressing Arlert by his first name.

"Okay," he replied.

Armin Arlert was slightly taller than Levi, with light blonde hair. Ezreal felt like a titan, himself around all of these short people.

"Come over here, sir," Arlert said, motioning for Ezreal to stand in front of him. "I've got several measurements to take, so please be patient."

"It's not a problem. Take as long as you need," the explorer said.

Arlert took out a strip of measuring tape and pulled it around Ezreal's waist. Wrapping it around him required close contact. Armin tried to hide the blush that was forming across his cheeks, but the cartographer could still see it. Ezreal was thin, but much taller than Levi and the blonde soldier. He continued to take measurements of Ezreal's torso, chest, arms, and legs, until finally everything was recorded on a sheet of paper. The last measurement he needed was his foot size. It was a tedious task, because Piltover used a completely different scale for measuring clothes.

"So, your name is Armin?" Ezreal asked, as the soldier scanned the shelves in the room for the correct sizes.

"Yes. You may call me whatever you'd like," the blonde soldier said.

"There's no need for you to call me 'the captain's assistant', so feel free to call me Ezreal," the mapmaker said, smiling.

"Here's your new uniform, Ezreal. Try it on to make sure everything fits."

The taller man took off his clothes and changed into the Special Operations Squad uniform. Armin tried not to look directly at him as he changed, but seeing a tall, slender, blonde man with his clothes off was a treat to his eyes.

"Wow! You did a great job. It fits like a glove!" Ezreal exclaimed, looking at the way the uniform fitted him the mirror.

"Thanks. Try these on," Armin said, handing the explorer a pair of tall, dark brown boots.

Ezreal tucked his tightly-fitting white pants into them and stood up. "How do I look?"

"You look great!" Armin said. "Mikasa, you can come back in, now!" He called.

The dark-haired girl returned with a set of gear. "You look like a soldier, sir," she said. "Now we're going to find out whether or not you're worthy of wearing that uniform."

Ezreal followed Ackerman and Arlert to an area equipped with various sets of cable rigging.

"We're going to attach you to these cables by a harness. Your goal is to keep your balance while in midair," Ackerman said, facing the mapmaker.

Armin helped Ezreal put on his equipment and Ackerman strapped him into a harness. "When she pulls that lever, the cables will retract and sustain you in midair, about two feet off the ground," said the blonde soldier.

"Ready?" Ackerman asked, receiving a nod from the blonde man.

Ezreal felt his balance slip away from him as his body was hoisted off the earth. He wavered in place without falling for a few seconds, but then began to struggle with maintaining an upright position.

Ackerman released the tension in the cables to let the rookie down. "That was an excellent first attempt," the girl said, still with an indifferent expression in her voice and on her face.

"You did well, Ezreal!" Armin said, encouragingly. "I remember when we were first learning, and Eren-"

"That's enough, Armin. Let's go back in for lunch. We'll share the news with the captain."

On the way back over to the base, Ezreal wondered why Ackerman had closed up so suddenly at the mention of something that sounded like a fond memory.

After sitting down in his room, Levi knocked and entered. "Assistant. I hear that you've got potential at learning to use maneuvering gear."

"According to Ackerman and Arlert, I didn't do half bad. I'll continue to do my best, Levi."

"Very well. Just remember, you're going to have to master the gear in such a way that you have the ability to move freely, in addition to maintaining your balance. At the end of the week, I'd like to see your progress. If your skills fall too short of my expectations, I'll make you work harder."

Levi turned and left. Ezreal was nervous being alone with the captain. He knew he had something to work to his advantage, but he realized that wasn't something he should use unless there was no other option.


	4. Chapter 4

**Perception**

For the rest of the week, Ezreal continued to train under the guidance of Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert. The mapmaker's skills improved as each day passed. Finally, it was time for Ezreal to demonstrate his new skills to Levi.

"Wake up," a cold voice barked.

Ezreal's eyes snapped open to face the short brunette's face. "Good morning, Levi. I'm sorry I overslept again," the blonde man said, apologetically, with a cheerful undertone.

"Why do you always act so carefree when you know you're in trouble?" The commander asked.

"I don't know," Ezreal replied, shrugging.

"Well, let's get a move on. I want to see what you've been taught," Levi said.

"Wait, Levi," the cartographer said, grabbing the captain's hand before he could leave.

"What?"

Ezreal pulled Levi back and kissed him gently.

"Ezreal, providing me with such affection isn't going to make me treat you any differently."

The blonde man was surprised to hear Levi use his first name. "Alright. From now on, I won't kiss you for that reason," Ezreal confessed. "However, I liked the way that felt, so I'll be doing it for a different reason," he added.

Levi sat down next to his assistant for a brief moment. He looked down at his boots, and then spoke. "Get your gear on and meet me at the training grounds."

It was extremely difficult to read Levi. He always wore the same expression. After he left, Ezreal got dressed into his uniform. He'd learned how to put the 3D maneuvering gear on correctly in less than a week.

The explorer marched across the courtyard to the training facility. Levi, Mikasa, and Armin were waiting for him.

Once Ezreal was harnessed to the cables, he gave Mikasa a hand signal, indicating that he was ready to demonstrate what he learned. The dark-haired soldier hoisted Ezreal into midair with the tension lever.

The cartographer stood still at first, getting used to the feel of being his own center of gravity. Levi watched him carefully. Ezreal did a few successful turns and flips. The captain wasn't satisfied.

"Think fast, assistant," Levi said, throwing one of his blades towards the blonde man.

Ezreal caught the narrow blade by its handle as it spun towards him. Levi crossed his arms, while Armin and Mikasa applauded.

"You may let him down now, Ackerman," said the captain.

Once Ezreal's boots were touching the ground, Armin ran up and unfastened him from the tight harness. "You did an amazing job, Ezreal!" The smaller blonde cheered.

"Thank you for your guidance, Armin," the mapmaker replied.

Levi averted his eyes to the ground, as his assistant approached him. "Did I meet your expectations?"

The brunette looked at Ezreal. "You pass."

Levi stared off into space. "Levi?" His assistant said. It almost looked like he was sad.

"Let's go eat," the captain said, breaking his train of thought.

Mikasa and Armin went to their rooms, leaving Ezreal and Levi by themselves in the dining room. When he was finished eating, Levi got up to get a cup of tea. He poured two cups, then sat down next to his assistant and handed him a hot mug of tea.

"Thank you," Ezreal said.

Levi held his teacup by the rim, not by the handle. He grabbed the cup from the top, sprawling his fingers along the circumference. Ezreal noticed this, but didn't say anything.

"Tomorrow, you'll take part in your first extramural expedition. Be prepared for the worst, and remember, this is where your exploration skills will be needed," Levi said, taking a sip of tea.

"How long will it take?" Ezreal asked.

"It could take anywhere from one week to one month. All you need to pack is your uniform and your gear. The supply wagon will have everything else you could possibly need."

"I see. So, our mission is to locate and capture an extra-terrestrial, correct?" The cartographer asked.

"Yes."

"I know this is none of my business, but were you and Mikasa close with Eren?" Levi froze. "I heard Armin mention his name to Mikasa while I was training. If I'm not mistaken, Eren was the name of the soldier you were with when you encountered the alien."

Levi paused. "Eren is now dead. He was the strongest member of my team. He was Mikasa's brother," he stated, flatly. Ezreal could tell this was a difficult subject for even the captain to broach.

"I'm sorry I mentioned it. It's really none of my business," the blonde man apologized.

"You are forgiven. It's your job to put pieces of information together like this. Is that not right?"

"That's right," Ezreal said, looking towards Levi. He was staring at the wall, drinking the last of his tea.

The captain stood up, and gestured for Ezreal to do the same. "I'm going to wake you up tomorrow morning, so be prepared," Levi said.

Ezreal nodded. "Goodnight, Levi."

"Goodnight."

That evening, Ezreal laid out a map of the area surrounding the base. On it, Levi had marked the approximate location of where he and Eren had encountered the crashed ship. The mapmaker made a mental note of the location, and then took out a larger map. It had a smaller scale, but the features of the land were clearly defined.

According to the map, it wasn't going to be difficult to reach the impact site. However, it had been several weeks since the incident passed. The present location of the armored alien was virtually unknown.

After scanning maps of the area for a couple of hours, Ezreal turned out his light and got in bed. He thought about Levi, and how wonderful that kiss felt.


	5. Chapter 5

**Challenge**

Levi went directly to his room after dinner. He looked around, lighting a candle. He inspected his chamber for imperfections. The captain couldn't sleep unless his room was spotless. He folded his uniform into a neat stack on top of his dresser, and got in his designated nightclothes.

After getting into bed, Levi thought about the last time he'd set foot outside the base. He valued the lives of his comrades more than anything.

The captain woke up before dawn the next morning, to make sure the supplies were loaded onto the wagons. When he had finished preparing the expedition team for departure, Levi went back upstairs to wake up his assistant.

Levi opened the door quietly, noticing that Ezreal was still asleep. He glanced around the room. There was a pile of open maps spread across the cartographer's desk, so it was obvious that Ezreal had been up late studying the land.

The brunette man stepped over to his assistant's bed. Looking down at the sleeping blonde, he wished he had more time to train Ezreal before embarking on the mission. However, the king's orders were for the Special Operations Squad to move out as soon as possible.

Levi didn't hesitate to do what he so desired. He climbed on top of Ezreal and kissed him until he felt a conscious response. Ezreal woke up, immediately realizing what was happening. The blonde pulled Levi closer and deepened their kiss.

After a minute, Levi pulled away. "Ezreal, we leave in one hour. Make sure you're ready." He started towards the door.

"Yes, sir," the mapmaker said, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

Ezreal began to roll up his paper maps. He stuck them in his pack, along with extra clothes and gear. After he was dressed, it was time to go.

Levi, Ezreal, Armin, and Mikasa all rode in one wagon. They were leaders of the squad, under the captain's charge. The cartographer sat in front. Levi knew only the location of the crash site, but beyond that he had no professional navigation skills.

Everyone had their gear on. The team comprised of ten wagons full of trained soldiers, two supply wagons, and one for Levi and the ranked officers.

When the company reached the winding hill, beyond which was the documented site, Levi ordered the wagon train to a halt. The hill was too steep. Half of the men stayed behind, and half followed Levi.

While he followed Levi up the path, Ezreal envisioned what the ship was going to look like. He was afraid, but the fear of something otherworldly excited him.

As Ezreal caught up to the captain at the hill's crest, he looked down at the crashed ship. He watched Levi stare intently at it for a few moments.

"It's okay to be afraid, as long as you don't let it hold you back from reaching your potential," Levi said, quietly.

Ezreal wasn't sure whether or not he was supposed to hear him. "What?"

Levi turned to face his assistant. "You heard me. We have to go in there. Stay behind me, and be careful," he said. The captain looked Ezreal in the eyes. "I don't want to meaninglessly lose another one of my men."

For once, the cartographer could sense the emotion behind Levi's words. Clearly, he felt strongly about keeping everyone safe. Mikasa and Armin were nearby, awaiting the captain's orders. Mikasa didn't notice at first, but Armin could tell that Levi deeply valued Ezreal.

After the rear end of the line arrived at the top of the hill, Levi broke the air with more specific instructions. "We're going to infiltrate the ship. If the alien is inside, we'll immobilize her using the cable gear. If she's nowhere to be found, we gather information and move on." Upon his signal, Levi led the squad of troops carefully down the other side of the slope.

Inside the ship, there were no signs of recent life. The hardest part of the captain's investigation was seeing the laboratory. The scent of decaying human flesh filled the room. Levi spotted a glass cylinder across the room. His gaze quickly fixed upon the contents of the glass.

Ezreal quietly observed what the captain was looking at. The mapmaker cringed at the sight. A mangled, bloody head of what appeared to be a teenage boy, sat in a puddle of thick cranial ooze and blood. The sight and stench was enough to nauseate him.

"Eren…" Levi audited.

Suddenly, the blonde realized that there was another deceased body in the room. He crept to the left of the captain's field of view to inspect what he saw. A fully suited woman laid on the floor against the wall. Her helmet rested several inches away from her head. Based on the flies gathering on her greying skin, it was evident that she was dead. He motioned for Armin and Mikasa to gather assistance.

Five men picked up the body and carried it back to where the wagons were stationed. Levi was in a state of shock. Ezreal had taken charge of what to do with the body. From the description the captain had given him, he was positive that the enormous corpse was the alien. Her cause of death was immediately unknown.

The cartographer noticed that Levi hadn't moved an inch. His eyes were still fixed Eren's head. "Levi, you shouldn't keep staring at it," Ezreal said, taking a chance.

Levi acknowledged him by looking down. "Let's go. You're right," he murmured.

They left the ship. The mission turned out to be much shorter than expected. It began and concluded within the very same day. Ezreal walked with Levi back to the wagons. The squad needed to deliver the alien's body to the base as soon as possible.

Once the company was back within the walls of the castle, the cartographer returned to his room. He could tell that Levi needed time to himself. He wondered what the outcome of the short mission would be.

For the next several days, Levi sat through meetings with direct messengers of the king. A team of scientists performed an examination of the alien's body. Her cause of death was determined to be internal. The strength of Earth's gravity was too great for the foreigner's lungs; she suffocated. Her reason for coming to Earth was believed to be related to the titans, but nothing else could be concluded.

Ezreal spent much time to himself. He showed up for meals with Armin and Mikasa, but he didn't have any assigned duties. His reason for joining the Special Operations Squad was to serve as a proxy cartographer. The mission was over, so he began to think he was no longer needed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Decision**

_Dear Levi,_

_Now that the squad has finished its task, I must return to Piltover to resume my position in the exploration department. I was given a temporary leave of absence in order to assist you in locating and capturing your target. I am grateful for the training you and your teammates have given me. This was an invaluable experience. _

_I'm leaving tomorrow morning, so I don't know if I'll get to see you. I hope our paths cross again in the future. Also, do not hesitate to request my assistance. If something comes up, and you need an extra explorer, I'm your man._

_-Ezreal._

The blonde mapmaker slipped his note under Levi's door. He was upset about leaving, but he didn't have a choice. He'd studied hard for years at the university in Piltover to achieve a position as a cartographer, so he had to return home.

It was close to midnight. Seconds after placing the note under Levi's door, Ezreal heard a knob turn and hinges creak. He was only a few steps down the hall when Levi made his presence known. Ezreal turned around and saw him standing outside his door, holding the piece of paper.

"Come here, Ezreal," Levi said, coldly. The blonde man approached the captain. "Do you really have to leave?"

Ezreal wanted to avoid confronting Levi directly about his departure. "I'm afraid so. I wished I could have helped you more, but it seems that you don't have much of a need for an explorer, now that the expedition is over."

Levi thought for a moment, staring at Ezreal blankly. He thought of every reason he could to try to convince Ezreal to stay. "What if I was to offer you a full time position? I can't guarantee that I'll ever be assigned another mission involving otherworldly subjects, however, another planet is trying to contact us. We know that technology advanced enough to reach Earth exists, so it's possible that a second attempt could be made at coming here."

Ezreal paused to think about Levi's offer. It pained him to do so, but he had to decline. He couldn't give up on his career. Levi looked disappointed, but he understood the cartographer's position.

The brunette threw his arms around Ezreal in a long embrace. He thought of everything that had happened, and how having a cheerful, helpful, and handsome assistant had reminded him that maintaining a positive attitude towards perceiving challenges and making influential decisions was important.

Ezreal hugged Levi back. "I'm sorry I have to do this, Levi. I know I've only known you for a couple of weeks, but I'm going to miss you."

When he let go of the blonde man, Levi's face had changed. He had refrained from showing external signs of emotion for far too long. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this, but I couldn't avoid it."

Ezreal gently took Levi's hand, and led him back into his immaculate room. "Levi, it is perfectly fine to feel sad. Like fear, you can't let it consume you. Keep that in mind," the taller man said.

"You're right, again. Can you please stay with me just this one last night, Ezreal?" Levi asked. The expression on his face was painfully sad. It hurt Ezreal just to look at him.

"Yes. Levi, it will be alright. I'm not going away forever. Going to and from Piltover is expensive and dangerous, but it's not impossible. You are welcome in my home anytime you want; or if you need my assistance, all you have to do is send a letter to the department, and they'll give me a leave of absence. We work in the same circle of fields."

Putting the situation into a more defined perspective made Levi feel slightly better. He planted a kiss on Ezreal's lips. "Thank you."

The cartographer helped Levi out of his uniform. Levi was short, but extremely well built, with a defined stomach. He put on a clean pair of boxers and a t-shirt and laid down next to Ezreal, who was already in his pajamas. He wanted to touch the captain's body so badly, but he could tell Levi was in a very emotionally fragile state, so he refrained from what his urges were telling him to do.

Instead, Levi pulled Ezreal closer to him and told him about some of the exciting adventures he'd partaken in in the past. Ezreal was fascinated, and finally got Levi to smile upon some of his memories. After a long kiss, the two men felt relaxed and sleepy.


End file.
